The present invention relates generally to mower decks and more particularly to the cutting chamber surrounding the mower blade.
Mower decks utilized in cutting vegetation are frequently used in conditions that result in plugging and/or clogging of the cutting chamber and/or the discharge opening of the deck. Conditions which contribute to such clogging include wet, heavy and/or long grass or vegetation. To assist in lifting the vegetation to cut it in these conditions, the blades are enclosed within depending cylindrical chambers comprised of skirts or rings. These chambers contain the air stream generated by the rotating blade and assist in lifting blades of growing vegetation to cut it at the proper height.
While the chambers improve the cutting of material under these conditions, clogging can still occur as the material is moved to the discharge opening, which is typically at one side of the deck. When a deck is equipped with a plurality of blades and the cut materials move across the deck to a side discharge opening, plugging can become particularly troublesome.
One attempt to reduce such plugging provides for a discharge opening for each cutting blade with the opening being provided at the rear of the deck. While this design improves the discharge of material, the cutting chamber skirts surrounding the blades and the limited discharge opening still contribute to plugging.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a cutting deck designed to operate in wet, heavy and/or long vegetation conditions without incurring significant plugging and/or clogging.
Further, it would be desirable to provide a cutting chamber that can retain the air stream generated by the blade in order to lift the blades and/or stalks of wet, heavy and/or long vegetation prior to it being cut.
It would further be desirable to provide a cutting chamber and deck that permit the cut material to be effectively discharged.
Towards these ends, there is provided a deck that includes a cutting chamber for each blade that serves to maintain the air stream necessary to lift wet, heavy and/or long blades and/or stalks of vegetation.
There is further provided a substantial opening at the rear of the deck that serves as a discharge opening for material cut by the blade.
To allow the cut material within the chamber to exit easily, the vertical dimension of the rear portion of the chamber adjacent to the discharge opening of the deck is less than that of the forward portion of the chamber.
With the improved deck and chamber design, a mower capable of cutting and discharging wet, heavy and/or long vegetation is provided.